Who Would You Save? The Chums

[JoeHardyRocks]

LOL me and my sisters always say "AWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!" when Frank goes "Stand on my shoulders, Nancy!" Because he's already tired, but he still has time to be polite and heroic and ADORABLE!!!!

[Hardy Boys UB Fan]

LOL me and my sisters always say "AWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!" when Frank goes "Stand on my shoulders, Nancy!" Because he's already tired, but he still has time to be polite and heroic and ADORABLE!!!!

Yeah. 

[hardygirl847]

Well, the Nancy in Arson and Old Lace was not Pamela Sue Martin. That's why she wasn't able to escape. Lol But yeah, Frank was very adorable during that rescue. And it encouraged the crazy thought of them being together. My vote is still only for Frank and Nancy to get together if they are Parker and Pamela. That is the only time I've rooted for them.

I didn't see the new Nancy and Parker/Frank at all together. But Joe had a heroic rescue so Frank needed one too.

[Olivia]

Well, the Nancy in Arson and Old Lace was not Pamela Sue Martin. That's why she wasn't able to escape. Lol

Thanks, I was about to say that! PSM saw what was happening with the character earlier on, and that's a big reason why she left.

Like your new avatar, by the way

[MacGyver]

Was the character of Nancy Drew being written to be a bit dumber and more helpless for the times that she appeared with The Hardy Boys? Because even with Janet Louise Johnson's episodes, I don't think that was the case in any episode except for Arson and Old Lace obviously. I thought Pamela Sue Martin's main gripe was that the show was called The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, yet all of a sudden in Season 2, the format totally changed and she wasn't getting her regular every other episode appearance with a solo Nancy Drew adventure. I'm glad they did the crossover episodes, but they could have done that and still kept the Nancy Drew solo episodes going. I wonder if they just decided that after Season 1, it looked like The Hardy Boys episodes had better ratings than the Nancy Drew ones, so they decided just to focus more on The Hardy Boys and less on Nancy Drew?

[Hardy Boys UB Fan]

Was the character of Nancy Drew being written to be a bit dumber and more helpless for the times that she appeared with The Hardy Boys? Because even with Janet Louise Johnson's episodes, I don't think that was the case in any episode except for Arson and Old Lace obviously. I thought Pamela Sue Martin's main gripe was that the show was called The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, yet all of a sudden in Season 2, the format totally changed and she wasn't getting her regular every other episode appearance with a solo Nancy Drew adventure. I'm glad they did the crossover episodes, but they could have done that and still kept the Nancy Drew solo episodes going. I wonder if they just decided that after Season 1, it looked like The Hardy Boys episodes had better ratings than the Nancy Drew ones, so they decided just to focus more on The Hardy Boys and less on Nancy Drew?

I think so!  At least that's my take on it.

[Olivia]

Was the character of Nancy Drew being written to be a bit dumber and more helpless for the times that she appeared with The Hardy Boys? Because even with Janet Louise Johnson's episodes, I don't think that was the case in any episode except for Arson and Old Lace obviously. I thought Pamela Sue Martin's main gripe was that the show was called The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, yet all of a sudden in Season 2, the format totally changed and she wasn't getting her regular every other episode appearance with a solo Nancy Drew adventure. I'm glad they did the crossover episodes, but they could have done that and still kept the Nancy Drew solo episodes going. I wonder if they just decided that after Season 1, it looked like The Hardy Boys episodes had better ratings than the Nancy Drew ones, so they decided just to focus more on The Hardy Boys and less on Nancy Drew?

Basically it. The ratings were down on ND so they focused more on the HBs. (I can see why, too, because they kept making weird choices like changing Ned's character from nerdy to all of a sudden cool, etc. -- but also, the HBs had a good thing going).

My impression is that eventually, PSM/ND felt like a secondary character as opposed to being on par with the HBs. Janet Louise Johnson's ND seemed a bit more helpless and damsel-in-distress-y, or looked it. Specifically, she looked like she was really sensitive or something.

Anyway, whether or not it was diva-ish, PSM left. I remember when I first saw the episodes and heard about it, I thought she was pulling a diva move. There's a lot of heresay, so it's hard to distinguish what kind of attitude was behind it.

Case in point: She left Dynasty after four seasons, right when they were becoming the #1 show in ratings (above Dallas, no less). One of the actresses on the show thought it was a stupid move, that it would greatly affect the show, and why does she have the gall to leave a solid job. But it was because PSM wanted to do other things, and felt that the character had stalled. (Also, she was having a health problem). So I think PSM has always been like that: some actors like staying in roles, others need to constantly do something new. Whether or not it's premature to leave.

[MacGyver]

Yeah- it's just unfortunate. Perhaps if they could've gotten more consistent with writing for the Nancy Drew episodes (though for the record, I liked George O'Hanlon, Jr. as Ned Nickerson- but Rick Springfield did a great job too.)- and maintained the same actresses for Bess and George (I'm glad they even made an appearance- but this is something that could've been beefed up for both Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys- adding more of their chums and keeping them around on a more regular basis.) - anyway, perhaps they could've kept the Nancy Drew solo episodes going alongside The Hardy Boys episodes and kept the show running longer.
Oh well- that's how some things go. They experimented and tried to keep it alive as long as they could- at least they got 46 good episodes out of it- and I'm glad for what is available anyway.

[hardygirl847]

Thanks, I was about to say that! PSM saw what was happening with the character earlier on, and that's a big reason why she left.

Like your new avatar, by the way

Thanks. I had someone ask me who the "creepy" people were on my avatar pic on ff.net before. lol I guess they don't know about the 70s show. lol

On some level, I can agree with PSM for bailing before it go worse. But on the other hand, she could have helped save her part of the show. Probably not...it's just wishful thinking. I really can't speak too much about the episodes with her by herself because I have yet to watch them. I definitely watched and purchased the DVDs for the HBs. I don't dislike the crossover episodes but it doesn't bother me that ND wasn't in the 3rd season.

Stupid ? alert: Was there a completely different writing and production team for each ND and the HBs?

[MacGyver]

Not positive, but I'm pretty sure ti was all the same crew. I mean- they weren't two different shows. It was one show with both The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, so I don't see why they would have had different writers and/or producers. But maybe I'm wrong...

[hardygirl847]

Hey Mac, you're on too!

I didn't think so either...or I guess at some points they could have different crews. But if the writing and everything was so different, then that's what makes me wonder. I'm not saying that ALL of the HB stories were awesome...some really were eh....It just seemed like less effort was made with ND to be consistent etc.

[MacGyver]

Yeah- I noticed that some threads were being constantly updated- lol.

It's funny because I've heard from other more casual fans that they liked the Nancy Drew episodes better than The Hardy Boys episodes (at least in the first season anyway.) I think you should check them out in any case- The Secret of the Whispering Walls and A Haunting We Will Go are pretty good ones to try.
(Well- I'm sorry- I don't mean to be going on about this- if you don't like Nancy Drew- that's okay- you don't have to watch it. I just tend to be a completist with these things- so I'll wind up watching every single episode of a show that I like- even the "clunker" episodes as some may call them.) But you have to at least acknowledge Nancy Drew's status as an iconic role model and heroine for young girls, especially in the time the character was originally written.

[hardygirl847]

Yeah- I noticed that some threads were being constantly updated- lol.

It's funny because I've heard from other more casual fans that they liked the Nancy Drew episodes better than The Hardy Boys episodes (at least in the first season anyway.) I think you should check them out in any case- The Secret of the Whispering Walls and A Haunting We Will Go are pretty good ones to try.
(Well- I'm sorry- I don't mean to be going on about this- if you don't like Nancy Drew- that's okay- you don't have to watch it. I just tend to be a completist with these things- so I'll wind up watching every single episode of a show that I like- even the "clunker" episodes as some may call them.) But you have to at least acknowledge Nancy Drew's status as an iconic role model and heroine for young girls, especially in the time the character was originally written.

Totally acknowledged. Those who love ND, more power to ya. But I just like boys in danger better.

[Hardy Boys UB Fan]

Totally acknowledged. Those who love ND, more power to ya. But I just like boys in danger better.

You're not the only one!

[hardygirl847]

Glad I'm not alone on that one!